


Echo

by orphan_account



Series: Neo Culture Mythology (kind of) [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Greek Mythology, Greek Mythology - Freeform, M/M, Mythology References, gasp and jeno, jaemin offers some insight in the end, mark and donghyuck still say hello though, ooh look renjun finally has a point of view
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 08:27:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15069179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Renjun has responsibility after responsibility piled onto his shoulders after Donghyuck leaves the island. Donghyuck is struggling to adjust to a new environment. Jeno just thinks Renjun is wonderful.The sequel to a mythology au that no one wanted in the first place. (Can not be read as a stand alone.)





	Echo

**Author's Note:**

> Hi hello I finally finished the sequel! I honestly like this piece more than the original work because it allowed me to explore the characters a bit more. It's still fairly short, and like before a character barely mentioned in the storyline will wrap up the piece. I'm not sure if I'll write a jaemin centered fic, though, but we'll see. 
> 
> Like the last fic in this series, this is set in an alternate universe and I took liberties with regards to myth once again. Please enjoy!

Renjun ran a hand through his hair as he listened to Donghyuck ramble on about a hearing test he had in choir that day. Apparently Donghyuck “blew everyone else out of the water” and achieved the highest praises from the director. If Renjun was being honest, he was kind of bored and had work to do. But, Donghyuck was his best friend and listening to choir stories was obligatory. 

“Hey, Renjun,” Donghyuck started, suddenly serious. 

Renjun looked up at Donghyuck’s pixelated face, worried. “Yeah, what’s up?”

Hyuck rubbed his eyes and sighed. “Never -and I mean never- get your wings removed. Mark keeps asking if it hurts, so I always say no, right? But my shoulder blades hurt like a bitch.”

Inwardly, Renjun was disappointed and wanted to strangle Donghyuck through the laptop for keeping it a secret, but he could tell that his best friend was actually in pain. 

“Can’t you just tell Mark to take you to the doctor?”

Donghyuck rolled his eyes. “Yes, I, a siren, can totally go to a doctor complaining about pain from a wings removal. You’re a genius, Renjun, truly.”

“Ha ha. Whatever, I’ll talk to Jaemin later and ask him what to do. Right now I have work to do,” Renjun said, fingers poised over the end call button. 

Donghyuck nodded. “Okay, bye Renjun. Love you.” Renjun smiled and right before the call ended, Donghyuck added, “Johnny’s ship is passing through next week. Do you want to come visit?”

Renjun sighed. Donghyuck always had bad ideas. “Hyuck-“

“Renjun, I miss you.” And Donghyuck looked so, so pitiful. It had to be hard to adjust to a new environment, with different rules and different people. Even with Mark being there with him, he must’ve felt lonely. 

After a few moments of Donghyuck trying to will himself to cry, Renjun gave in. “Coordinate with Andromeda and I’ll check my schedule.” Donghyuck smiled, pleased. 

“And Hyuck?”

“Yeah?”

“I miss you too, best friend.”

**

So maybe Donghyuck asked Renjun to come visit out of selfishness, but he really was lonely in the city. Sure, he had Mark, but Mark was always away on manufacturing shipments. When he was in the city, he was always studying for his captain exam. It’s not that Donghyuck wasn’t busy either, end of term performances and exams kicked his ass, but having someone to hang out with on the weekends would be nice. 

It was one in the morning on a Tuesday and Donghyuck was still trying to memorize the choreography for the next class. Lately, memorizing choreography had been difficult, a reflection of his own stress and frustration. Mark was currently giving him the silent treatment for whatever reason, he hadn’t heard from Renjun in a week, and the shoulder blades were on fucking fire. 

Donghyuck’s phone buzzed next to his backpack and he shut the music off. “Hello?” He answered. 

“Is this Donghyuck?” 

Donghyuck sat down, phone propped next to his ear. “Yeah, who’s this?”

“Jeno! You don’t remember me?”

Donghyuck remembered him. He was Mark’s closest friend besides Donghyuck. The two were always studying for the captain exams or losing at video games. 

“I mean, I can’t exactly see you right now.”

He heard Jeno laugh from the side of the line. “You’re funny. Anyway, we’ll be leaving the city tomorrow morning, so tell your friend we should be there in like four days.”

Donghyuck sat up. Part of him was excited, Renjun would be here this was fantastic, but the other part was worried that with another Siren here his secret would be revealed. Mark was the only who knew. He hoped Andromeda and Renjun were planning accordingly. 

“Okay, thank you,” Donghyuck breathed out.

“No problem! Oh, and Mark is coming to pick you up.”

Donghyuck closed his eyes briefly. It’s not that he didn’t want to see Mark, it’s just lately things hadn’t been great with him. First of all, either had refused to label whatever their relationship was, leading to a world of confusion. Plus, Mark hadn’t talk to Donghyuck in a week, always giving curt replies and agitated answers. Donghyuck was too tired to deal with that at the moment, not to mention that everytime he breathed a crippling pain shot through his shoulder blades.

But he hoped that Mark wouldn’t push whatever issue he had tonight so Donghyuck could sleep properly. “Okay. Thanks for telling me, Jeno.”

Jeno hung up and Donghyuck stared at his reflection in the mirrors lining the walls. He was paler, the result of the transition from island life to city life. Shadows lined the underside of his eye and his skin held a sickly undertone. His lips were chapped; the weather still hadn’t fully transitioned into spring yet. 

Donghyuck closed his eyes and his mind went to the island. He remembered his wings, outstretched and graceful, and where they were supposed to be. He remembered sleepovers on the beach with Andromeda and Renjun and Jaemin. The air was clean and smelled like sugar and salt. Waves crashed in the distance and a lyre was always playing.

Donghyuck usually didn’t cry but he felt tears push against his eyelids. He squeezed his eyes tighter, trying not to remember, trying not to miss home. 

“Hyuck? Are you meditating?”

Donghyuck opened his eyes and saw Mark standing in front of him holding an extra jacket.

Donghyuck stood and wiped at his eyes. “No. Is that jacket for me?”

Mark nodded. “It’s a little cold outside.”

“Thanks,” Donghyuck whispered before picking up his bag and jacket and followed Mark out.

They didn’t talk much on the walk to Donghyuck’s dorm; Donghyuck really didn’t have a lot to say. He felt kind of a sick and more than a little tired so he wasn’t up for small talk.  
They made it Donghyuck’s room and before he could walk in, Mark spoke.

“Hyuck, I like you. You know that right?”

Donghyuck sighed and smiled. Of course he knew that. “Yeah, Mark, I know.”

Mark pouted and crossed his arms. “I just think I make it really obvious.”

“You do.”

Mark looked Donghyuck in the eye. “Sometimes, I can’t tell if you’re leading me on or if you actually like me.”

Alarm flashed in Donghyuck’s eyes. What? “Excuse me?”

Mark stood his ground, gaze firm. “I just think we need to label whatever this is,” he motioned between the two, “but that’s hard to do when I’m not one hundred percent about your feelings.”

Donghyuck couldn’t believe he was having this conversation with Mark. Mark was part of the whole reason he left the island in the first place. He was constantly sacrificing his heritage to fit into Mark’s landscape. What part of that wasn’t one hundred percent?

“Sorry if I don’t know how to express my feelings, Mark. If you haven’t realized I’m from a completely different world from yours,” Donghyuck spat out.

Mark rolled his eyes. “I’ve been upfront since the beginning. Why is it so hard for you to do the same?”

This conversation was going to end right now, Donghyuck decided. “Maybe it’s hard for me to worry about a relationship when I’m so far from home, mentally and physically. Maybe if you checked up on me you’d realize that the past few months have probably been the hardest of my life. So, sorry, that I haven’t asked you if you want to be my boyfriend yet, I’m too busy worrying about hiding my fucking identity.”

Mark responded with a blank expression. Donghyuck scoffed. “Fuck you, Mark. Don’t call me until Renjun’s arrived. I’m tired.”

He opened and his door and shut it on the image of Mark blinking rapidly, seemingly trying to hold back tears. Donghyuck collapsed on his bed, back burning. He decided that he didn’t really care.

*

The next morning Donghyuck woke up too dizzy to move. The pajamas he’d managed to yank on the night before were drenched in sweat. He looked over to see that his roomate Yukhei had already left for his 8 a.m. class. Donghyuck looked at his backpack at the foot of the bed. His phone was buzzing with a notification.

Donghyuck groaned and attempted to pull his bag up, only managing to pull it halfway. He did manage to grab his phone and saw that it was a video call from Renjun. He answered.

“Hey bestie,” Donghyuck smiled, trying to seem cheerful and not at all sick.

Renjun rolled his eyes. “Cut the bullshit, I can tell you’re sick. Don’t talk for the remainder of this call, okay? I have important things to tell you.”

Donghyuck nodded, head spinning.

Renjun held up a container and a bottle. “Jaemin gave me these yesterday so I can bring them with me.” He held up the bottle. “This is a pain reliever specifically for your wings removal recovery.” He held up the container. “This a salve to coat the wounds. He gave me four of each so they should last a while. Also,” Renjun’s expression grew serious. “But Jaemin said that the you’ll still continue to feel soreness or might get sick at random times. He said that has nothing to do with your health or medicine, but our heritage.”

“What?” Donghyuck mumbled, vision blurry. 

Renjun smiled sadly. “There’s magic in us, Donghyuck, and you’re trying to pull away. Of course there’s consequences.”

Donghyuck closed his eyes after he felt a weight rest on his head. “Renjun, I think I’m sick right now.”

“Is someone there with you? Mark?”

“No.”  
Renjun gasped. “Donghyuck! Jaemin said these bouts of sickness could last for days! You need to be taken care of!”

“I’m not talking to Mark,” Donghyuck whispered. Sweat coated his face. “Call my roommate, instead. His name is Yukhei.” He recited the number, having it memorized in case he got locked out while in the bathroom.

“Okay, I’ll call him. Don’t move okay, Donghyuck? Just sit tight-”

Donghyuck was already asleep, delirium taking over his senses.

* 

Renjun only had two thoughts as he sat in on the Elders’ afternoon meeting: 1) the Golden Wings Society was largely overrated and 2) would Donghyuck be okay? After his phone call with his best friend he’d rushed to find Jaemin, worried that Donghyuck was in some ancient coma. Jaemin assured him that Donghyuck was fine and most definitely not in a coma, but he wouldn’t be entirely conscious as the wave of illness washed over him. Honestly, Renjun thought it was sort of messed up that they were still tethered to ancient myth, but heritage, right?

“Renjun,” the Head Elder spoke, her voice still strong even after months of poor health.

Renjun looked up from his notes, pulled back to the present. “Yes?”

“Have you begun to prepare for my burial?”

Renjun’s cheeks flushed red. He had not begun to plan for her burial. At all. 

He attempted to play it off. “Um, would you like a more modern burial, like in the water, or more of a earth burial?”

The Elders looked at him in disbelief. The Head Elder was infinitely old. Why would she want a modern burial?

The Head Elder moved to make a biting response before deciding against it. “Renjun, just put me in the ground, okay?”

Renjun nodded and added that reminder to his ever-growing list of notes.

“Renjun,” another Elder said. “Have you sketched out the portraits of the ancestors? We need to finalize the design.”

Renjun refrained from yanking his hair out. He had spent weeks on sketches of the first sirens, (They were ugly. Not his drawings, but the sirens.) desperate to meet the deadline so the real artists could make the tapestries to be hung in the trees surrounding the space where the Society met. The drawings were finished, thankfully, after months of sleepless nights.

“Yes, here they are.” Renjun stood and handed the drawings to the Head Elder. She tucked it behind her.

“I will view them later. Have you commissioned for your robes to be made yet? For your ceremony as you become an Elder.”

At first, Renjun was just going to ask Jaemin’s cousins to make his robes. (They had made robes for most of the society.) But, Renjun needed an excuse to leave the island, at least for a bit.

“Actually, can I go to the city and have my robes made?”

The elders looked at him in disbelief. “Renjun, are you ill?”

He shook his head. “No, I’m perfectly healthy. Besides, aren’t you all the ones talking about ‘blending into society’s modernity’?”

One elder’s face turned red. “Renjun, you’re dismissed.”

Renjun shrugged and gathered his belongings. He stood and left the clearing, able to understand what Donghyuck had felt for the first time.

 

Renjun was swimming when a messenger told him that the Head Elder would like to see him in her room. The pair walked up the marble steps of the Headquarters, the smooth material reflecting the sun’s light. They passed by Donghyuck’s now empty room, a familiar sinking feeling settling into Renjun’s chest. 

They made it to the second floor, a floor only used by the Head Elder. The messenger opened the door and scurried away, white wings shaking nervously.

Renjun walked in, a trail of water following him. “Hello, Head Elder.”  
She smiled from her spot underneath a window that took up an entire wall. Pillows and throws surrounded her. “Please, have a seat, Renjun.”

He sat down. “Was there something you needed?”

She drew in her wings. “I’d like to apologize. Not only to you, but to Donghyuck.”

“Excuse me?”

She chuckled and examined her nails, remorse deep in her eyes. “I should have let him leave when he asked. I spent so many years on this island I forget that there’s a world beyond this one.” She looked Renjun in the eye. “Perhaps a better one.”

Renjun stayed silent, shocked at her honesty.

“If you’d like to see Donghyuck, all you had to do was ask. I’m more than willing to allow you to travel to see him. He’s practically family to you, after all.”

“Wait, you know that we keep in touch?” Renjun asked.

She grabbed his hand. “I know everything that happens on this island. When are you expecting to depart?”

“Uh, in a few days.”

She nodded. “Good. Please pass this along to Donghyuck.” She handed Renjun a piece of parchment tied closed with a gold tie.

“I will.”

The Head Elder turned her view towards the window, the sun beginning to set on the island. “Renjun, I have a lot of things planned for you. I trust you the most to right the wrongs that we’ve inherited from the ancestors. It’s obvious that I’ve failed to do so,” She whispered the last part.

“What do you mean?”

A weary expression dominated the elder’s face. “You’ll find out in time. Please, just trust my intentions.”  
Renjun squeezed her hand. He believed everything the elder had said and vowed to follow through with her vision, whatever it was.

*

Mark pressed another cold towel to Donghyuck’s forehead. It was the eighth one in thirty minutes, his fever making the towels warm and clammy.

“Do you want some more water?” Mark asked quietly.

“No, I told you to go home.” Donghyuck said. The voice didn’t really sound like his, not when it was clouded by sickness and fatigue.

Mark wasn’t even supposed to know that he was sick, but Yukhei had called him in the middle of his Spanish lecture telling him that Donghyuck was concerningly sick. (“Like the freaky kind of sick,” Yukhei had said. “Shit, I’m so scared, he’s turning gray. Oh my gosh, do you think he’s dead?”) After that, Mark abruptly left his class, afraid that Donghyuck really was dead. Thankfully, he wasn’t, but he looked pretty close to it.

“Hyuck, you’re sick. How do you expect me to go home?”

Donghyuck opened his eyes slowly. “It’s a siren thing. I’ll be better in about two days.”

Mark pulled out his phone and texted Yukhei that he’d be using his bed for the next days and that he’d need to find appropriate housing in the meantime. “Okay, I’ll stay until then. Do you want me to change your socks again?”

 

*

Lee Jeno stared in awe at the island they’d docked at. The vegetation was the healthiest he’d ever seen and the beach looked warm and inviting, even at dusk. Even though Johnny said this was a red hot Siren zone, they stopped anyway, apparently picking up Donghyuck’s friend.

Another crew member nudged Jeno. “What do they look like again?”

Jeno shrugged. Mark had just described them as small and protective. It wasn’t much to work with.

Just as Jeno was about to ask Johnny if the person would actually show up, a teenage boy emerged from the trees. He was dressed from linen, head to toe, leather sandals slapping against the sand. A canvas bag hung from his shoulder and he looked up. Jeno’s heart fell into the sea.

His eyes were intense, scary, scarier than Johnny when he learned that Mark had been lured by a siren. It wasn’t that he was attractive, it was his energy. It was old and knowledgeable, youthful and charming. As he walked, the different sides of him seemed to clash together harmoniously. How was Donghyuck allowed to know someone like this?

Jeno and the other crew member lowered the gangplank and the boy walked onboard. He smiled and waved to the other crew members.

“Hello, I’m Renjun. Thank you for picking me up.” He smiled again and a different crew member started to lead him below deck. Jeno stopped them.

“I can lead him down to his quarters,” Jeno said and grabbed Renjun’s arm. They made their way through the dim hallway below deck before they came to the room Jeno stayed in.

He gestured nervously to the open door. “This is where I sleep. There’s an extra bed in there.”

Renjun thanked him and moved past to the open bed. “What was your name again?”

Jeno scratched his neck nervously. “Jeno? Yeah, Jeno.”

Renjun laughed loudly. “Are you sure? You seem like you don’t know.”

Jeno giggled. “My name is Jeno. I may not know a lot, but I’m pretty sure I know my name.”

Renjun laid back on the bed. “I’m going to sleep, so you’re either in or out, Jeno.”

Jeno shut the door and hurried to lie on his bed. “I’m just going to stay in here, because you know, I’m exhausted.”

Renjun opened one eye and hummed thoughtfully. “You seem a bit too enthusiastic for someone who’s exhausted. But get some rest, I guess.”

Jeno hid his burning face in his pillow, making a mental reminder to do at least twenty favors for Donghyuck. 

*

As Renjun looked at the city spread out before him, bustling with sounds, business, and people, he was reminded of a memory from when he was thirteen. The particular group of sirens that Renjun and Donghyuck were apart of were able to thrive in water but lived best on land. The older sirens had wanted Renjun to lure a traveler on his birthday, so they had hurled him into the sea and left him to his own talents. He had eventually succeeded, but he had nightmares for a year.

Being in such an unfamiliar place felt like that.

Jeno touched Renjun’s arm gently. “I finished bringing the goods off the ship, so we can go see Donghyuck now.”

Renjun smiled and felt the happiest in days. “Thank you, Jeno.”

Jeno smiled, his eyes disappearing into crescents. “No problem.”

 

Jeno knocked on Donghyuck’s door, Renjun’s bag in his hand. He had insisted on carrying it despite Renjun’s protests. He hadn’t expected it to be so heavy, though.

Just as his arm was about to give out, the door swung open to reveal Donghyuck, a lot healthier than Mark had described him as. He saw Renjun and tears filled his eyes as he tackled his best friend in a hug.

“I missed you, Renjun. So much,” Donghyuck managed to say between sobs. Jeno looked away.

The pair recovered after ten minutes and Renjun gestured for Jeno to hand over his bag. “I brought it, don’t worry,” Renjun said to Donghyuck. Donghyuck seemed to sigh in relief.

Jeno shuffled awkwardly by the door. “Uh, Renjun, you know you’re staying at the apartment Mark and I share, right?”

If Renjun was surprised he didn’t show it. “I figured. Can you pick me up in a few hours, though? I need to talk to Donghyuck.”

Jeno nodded. Renjun smiled before slamming the door in his face. No matter how many times Jeno told himself that Renjun and Donghyuck were like everyone else, both of them seemed off. 

Very off.

*

Renjun applied another layer of the salve to the places where Donghyuck’s wings had been attached. He had already taken the medicine and Renjun could tell that his mood had immediately been lifted.

Donghyuck put his shirt back on and stretched his arms. “This is the best I’ve felt in months. Physically and emotionally.”

Renjun sat on Yukhei’s bed. “I’m glad. How did your little bout of sickness go?”

Donghyuck ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “I was just in and out a lot. When I was unconscious I kept hearing singing and voices. I figured it was the ancestors. They’re a lot more annoying than I thought. But other than that, it was fine. Mark took care of me everyday.”

Renjun tilted his head. “I thought you weren’t talking to Mark?”

“I wasn’t, I’m not, it’s just… I think we’re misunderstanding each other. We both have things we’ve kept from each other and I think we need to talk. I’m sick of guessing.”

Renjun nodded, understanding. Talking with the Head Elder had certainly been awkward, but now he was less ignorant about her intentions.

Renjun began to unbutton his shirt, pain taking over his shoulders. “Donghyuck, could you take this plastic wrap from around my torso?”  
Donghyuck gasped. “You idiot! Is this how you’ve been hiding your wings?”

Renjun nodded, relief hitting him as soon as his wings unfolded. “It was uncomfortable for a while, but it only just became painful. Really. I’m fine.”

“Renjun, you’re so stupid. I can’t believe Andromeda let you do that.”

Renjun shook his head. “She didn’t. I did it by myself.”

Donghyuck scrunched up his face. “Your best friend card is revoked for being a dumbass.”

Renjun blew a kiss. “Love you. Now give me some clothes, I look weird in all linen here.”

*

Mark approached the bench Donghyuck was sitting on, nervous. Even though Jeno had said that Donghyuck seemed to be in a better mood, he was afraid that he was still mad at him. Mark had thought and acted irrationally, not taking into consideration how Donghyuck must’ve felt. Sometimes he forget that they were from two different places, two different timelines, not meant to meet each other.

He built up enough courage and sat down. “Hey, Hyuck.”

Hyuck looked up and wiped a tear from his eye. “Hey.”

Mark’s eyes widened. “Why were you crying?”

Donghyuck held up a piece of paper. “Renjun just brought me a letter from home. I really needed to read it.”

“So, you’re not upset?”

Donghyuck shook his head. “Nope. Not with you or anyone else. I think we need to talk about last week, though.”

Mark nodded. “I’m really sorry. I should’ve paid more attention. I didn’t realize how hard things have been for you. Coming here must’ve felt like a slap in the face.”

Donghyuck folded the paper and put it in his pocket before holding Mark’s hand. “It was. I think you were trying to understand me. Maybe you weren’t great at it, but you were trying. Besides, you’ve been going through a transition too. We’ve both been struggling.”

“We need to tell each other more though. You were so sick the other day, Hyuck. I didn’t know what to do.”

Donghyuck laughed. “That’s going to happen occasionally. Just remember that I’m not dying when it happens. Even if Yukhei insists that I am.”

Mark smiled and leaned back against the bench, Donghyuck’s head fitting on his shoulder. A butterfly landed on Mark’s knee, an indication of spring.

 

*

In the two weeks Renjun had lived with Jeno the most he interacted with him was at meals and in passing. The rest of that time was spent with Renjun hunched over papers and a laptop, trying to plan… whatever. Jeno finally admitted to himself that he had a crush on him and wanted to talk to him more.

He sat down in front of the couch just as Renjun was finishing a note. He looked up.

“You needed something?”

Jeno slowly took the pen from Renjun’s hand. “Not really, I was just bored. What do you keep writing about?”

Renjun sat up and stretched. “I’m planning a burial for someone back home.”

Jeno’s heart sunk. “Oh no, when did they die?”

Renjun shook his head and patted Jeno’s cheek. “They’re not dead yet but they’re close to it. I just want them buried properly.”

“Wouldn’t it be cheaper to cremate them? That’s what everyone does nowadays.”

Renjun laughed, lines forming on his face. “Who are we? The Romans?”

Jeno scrunched his eyebrows together. “Huh?”

Renjun’s face turned a dark red before he mumbled out a quick, “Never mind.”

Jeno stood, suddenly bold. “Hey, do you wanna grab some ice cream?”

Twenty minutes later, the two were in the local park, sat under a tree, ice cream all over their faces. They probably shouldn’t have bought large cones, but Renjun had insisted.

“You must be really stressed to eat all that ice cream,” Jeno said.

“Back home,” Renjun started before stopping. “You know what, never mind.”

Jeno placed a hand on Renjun’s knee. “It’s okay. You can tell me.”

“Back home,” Renjun continued. “I have a lot of responsibilities. Everybody has so many expectations of me. I’m trying my best but it seems like they want more. I don’t have any more to give.”

Renjun was pouting and Jeno felt really bad that there was nothing he could do to help.

“Just do what you can, okay? If they’re not satisfied with your best, why are they expecting so much of you in the first place?” Jeno said.

Renjun nodded. “I guess you’re right.”

* 

That night Jeno shuffled out of his room and stood over the couch where Renjun was sleeping.

“Renjun,” He said. “Get up and sleep in my bed. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

Renjun sat up and rubbed his eyes. Jeno almost died at how cute he looked. (Almost as cute as cat, but nothing was as cute as a cat.)

“Jeno, shut up, we can both sleep in your bed.” With that, Renjun yawned and walked his way into Jeno’s room.

They both stared at the ceiling for awhile before Renjun said, “I know you want to hold me, Jeno. It’s fine, I’m small enough.”

Jeno’s heart was racing in a million directions. Was this what cardiac arrest felt like?

“Um. Okay. Thank you?”

Renjun sighed in the dark. “You idiot, it looks like I have to do everything myself.” Renjun laid his head on Jeno’s chest and brought Jeno’s arm around his waist. “Now sleep dummy.”

Jeno kissed the top of his head before drifting into sleep.

*

When Jeno woke up, he was only momentarily alarmed to feel Renjun in his arms. Then happy. Then overjoyed. 

He smelled a lot like the beach: sandy, salty, and sunny. It fit Renjun too well.

Jeno pulled him closer and rubbed his back when he felt something bumpy. And rigid. It ran from his shoulders down to his waist. Just as he was about to lift up the collar of Renjun’s shirt, he woke up, eyes drowsy.

“You’re too warm,” Renjun complained. “I’m sweating.”

Jeno moved to pull away but Renjun held on. “You still smell good, though. Don’t move,” Renjun said.

Jeno looked down at Renjun and noticed the sunspots near his ear, the shades of brown in his eyes, every single part of his face. Jeno had never liked someone this much.

Renjun finally let go and walked back into the living room to do some work. Jeno’s phone rang from his nightstand.

“Hello?” He answered.

“Hey Jeno, this is Hyuck. Tell Renjun he needs to pack up his things.”

Jeno sat up. “What? Why?”  
“There’s an emergency at home. Someone already sent a ship for him and it’s at the docks. Our friend says he needs to hurry. He can’t waste time.”

Jeno’s head spun with questions. “Donghyuck, I’m not understanding anything you’re saying-”

Donghyuck cut him off, voice suddenly defensive. “Listen Jeno, I know you like Renjun. But he’s from a completely different place, a completely different world. He has a fate back home, something so important you couldn’t wrap your head around it, and I’ll be damned if you fuck it up. Now tell him to start packing. Now.”

The line cut off after that. Jeno knew Renjun and Donghyuck were different, but instead of putting him off the topic, he was more intrigued. Just what world were they from?

*

After Jeno had told Renjun about the phone call, he wasted no time in gathering his things. As he boarded the ship he didn’t even bother to say goodbye. Renjun knew why he was going home. The Head Elder’s health had taken a nosedive and she was a breath away from death. 

Thank goodness that Renjun had sent the burial plans to Andromeda the night before and asked Jaemin’s family to make his robes last week. Everything was happening so quickly. Too quickly.

He looked at the sea and thought about his fading youth. When he was ten and his wings first turned gold. He had told Donghyuck only to have him unfold his and revealed a gold pattern all over his wings. Andromeda’s wings turned gold the next week.

Or when he was eleven and first moved into Headquarters. It seemed so big and scary that Renjun nearly peed himself on the steps.

When he was thirteen and Jaemin kissed him on the beach. Renjun had previously liked him but during the kiss he didn’t feel anything. They became best friends instead.

He was fourteen when he got his first assignment from the council. He was put in charge of organizing records and writing down oral history. After the first month he had been exhausted, but he got used to it.

When he was sixteen, Donghyuck gave him and Andromeda lessons on how to control their voices. They both had beautiful voices, but not like Donghyuck’s. His voice could even lure a siren.  
Tears pricked at Renjun’s eyes. His entire life was on that little island. So why did he feel bad that he didn’t get to say goodbye to some boy from the city, who would probably forget him the next week? Why did he feel defeated?

*

The Head Elder died the day Renjun arrived. In order for her soul to rest as soon as possible they buried her immediately. The first sirens never would’ve gotten a burial, the ones on land or in the sea. They were menaces of society, terrorizing the innocent. Renjun thought nothing much had changed.

The Head Elder had put in the death note that Renjun was to be the next Head Elder and lead the society. Renjun couldn’t say he was surprised; she had always hinted at it anyway.

He moved into her room after her burial and the morning of his ascension, he stood by the huge window, robes feeling heavier than they should. They were beautiful; pure white with gold spirals running along the edges. The part that usually covered the back was completely missing so his wings could spread out comfortably.

But the people that should’ve been there, weren’t. Donghyuck hadn’t sent him a good luck message that morning, but it wasn’t like him being there. And Jeno… was something to be forgotten.

The door creaked open. Renjun didn’t bother to turn around.

“Andromeda, for the last time, I know it’s not going to rain.”

“Renjun?”

That voice was definitely not Andromeda’s.

Renjun turned around and there Jeno was, just as tall as he remembered, just as perfect.

“What, why are you.. How did you?” Renjun stumbled over his words.

Jeno inhaled, eyes taking in the sight of Renjun’s wings. “Mark kind of gave me a rundown and then I kind of rushed here. I always thought sirens were ugly, though.”

“Jeno, I’m sorry.”  
Jeno closed the door and sat on the edge of the bed. Renjun joined him.

“What are you sorry for? I haven’t even said anything,” Jeno said.

Renjun looked down at his sandals. “I knew you were suspicious of me. I just didn’t want you to know.”

Jeno placed a finger underneath Renjun’s chin and forced him to look him in the eye. “Renjun, what you are and who you are, are not mutually exclusive. You’re one of the most wonderful people I’ve met. You and the ones you love are not what society paint you out to be. Please don’t think I see you differently. Please.”

Tears formed in Renjun’s eyes and he blinked them away before they smudged the kohl lining his eyes. “Jeno, there are so many things I have to do here. I don’t think I can be with you.”

“I’m not asking you for anything. Just get settled down, okay? Besides, that’s why ships exist. We can alternate visits,” Jeno said a smile overtaking his face. With that Renjun started crying.

Jeno hugged him as kohl ran onto shirt, when snot got onto his neck, even when Andromeda walked in and just sighed and went back to get the things to fix him up again. Jeno would hug Renjun all the time if he could.

*

Jaemin watched as one of his best friends ascended to the Council of Elders of the Golden Wings Society as Head Elder at just eighteen. They had always talked about the future like some ambiguous monster, something that would eat their ambition, but Jaemin was surprisingly happy. It seemed like Renjun was too, because as soon as the ceremony was over, he took two glasses of wine into Headquarters, cheeks flushed with a grin on his face.

When he was younger he had always been jealous of his three “lucky” best friends that would join the Golden Wings Society. But, as he helped Donghyuck cut off his wings to escape, or climb onto the roof in a thunderstorm to help Andromeda, or explain ancient Greek magic to Renjun, he realized that they were never lucky. To call them lucky was to expect something great out of them, something stunning. Maybe they were just doing the best they could, like Jaemin, like everyone else.

Jaemin didn’t really know. He was a medic, not a philosopher.


End file.
